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Welcome

Join us in London in November 2026 for this edition of the Faraday Discussion series. The Faraday Discussions are unique international discussion meetings that address current and emerging topics at the forefront of the physical sciences.

This meeting is for established and early-career scientists, postgraduate students and industrial researchers working on various aspects of electrochemical devices across Earth and space applications. It will provide an ideal forum for cross-fertilisation of ideas and understanding between the distinct but adjacent communities working in this exciting field. On behalf of the organising committee, we look forward to welcoming you to London.

Why attend?

Find out more about Faraday Discussions in the video and FAQs – see Useful links on the right.
 

A unique conference format that prioritises discussion

At a Faraday Discussion, the primary research papers written by the speakers are distributed to all participants before the meeting – ensuring that most of the meeting is devoted to discussing the latest research.
 
This provides a genuinely collaborative environment, where discussion and debate are at the foreground. All delegates, not just speakers, are invited to make comments, ask questions, or present complementary or contradictory measurements and calculations.
 
An exciting programme of talks – and more
Take part in a well-balanced mix of talks, discussion, poster sessions and informal networking, delivered by our expert events team. You can explore the full programme in the downloadable files on the right – whether you’re attending in-person or online, every minute provides an opportunity.
 
The conference dinner, included in the registration fee, contains the Marlow Cup ceremony: a unique commemoration of past Faraday Discussion organisers that is sure to encourage further discussions over dinner.
 
In-depth discussion with leaders in the field
World-leading and established researchers connect with each other and early-career scientists and postgraduate students to discuss the latest research and drive science forwards. It’s a unique atmosphere – and challenging others to get to the heart of the problem is encouraged!
 
Your contributions, published and citable
A citable record of the discussion is published in the Faraday Discussions journal, alongside the research papers. Questions, comments and remarks become a valuable part of the published scientific conversation, and every delegate can make a major contribution.
 
Discover London
The Discussion will take place in London. Step out to explore the city while you’re here – or stay a few extra days to explore the city further and the surrounding area.

Themes

The meeting will comprise the following four interrelated themes: 

Interfacial processes in electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices 

In space, electrochemical devices are forced to operate under reduced gravity. This is the most significant difference between terrestrial and space electrochemical systems, as the reduced gravitational environment causes a substantial reduction of the buoyancy force, impacting important interfacial processes such as gas bubble growth, detachment, and convection that in turn affect reaction overpotentials and system energy requirements. Interfacial processes also influence electrochemical devices terrestrially, e.g. electrolyser efficiencies are significantly reduced when efficient gas bubble removal cannot be realised. We will discuss the fundamental aspects of electrochemical gas bubble evolution and other micro- and macroscopic processes that impact the efficiency of gas-evolving electrochemical devices and outline effective approaches to improve their performance terrestrially and in space. 

Electrolyser designs for terrestrial and space systems

We will discuss design principles for efficient and stable electrolysers (solid oxide, aqueous electrolyte, proton-exchange membranes, etc.) for operation in space as well as terrestrial environments. Example processes include oxygen and hydrogen evolution, carbon dioxide reduction, and waste processing. We will specifically discuss designs that either circumvent gas bubble formation completely such as capillary-based electrolysers or systems that consider inherent, alternative phase separation methods to advance gas bubble detachment from electrode surfaces. We will also investigate other aspects of device designs that are required to be considered in the harsh environment of space, such as resilience to extreme temperatures and radiation, in-orbit manufacturing, and in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU). 

Innovations in battery technologies for space applications 

Batteries have to be able to operate over a long life-span in space, maintaining for example a high specific capacity while tolerating extreme temeprature fluctuations. We will discuss the formation and composition of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) in batteries terrestrially and in microgravity, including processes such as dendrite formation, and examine new battery materials and developments for space applications that could also benefit terrestrial designs due to their temperature tolerance, efficiencies and performance cycles in extreme environments.  

Fuel cells as energy conversion devices in terrestrial and space applications 

We will discuss fuel cells as an important electrochemical energy conversion technology for terrestrial and space applications. Specifically, we will talk about the application areas of fuel cells and regenerative fuel cells terrestrially and in space as well as the fundamentals of e.g. gas handling in microgravity as well as efficient electrode and system architectures for terrestrial and space applications. We will also discuss the choice of catalyst materials (with respect to potential ISRU fabrication possibilities) and infrastructure requirements to integrate electrolyser and fuel cell technologies with energy storage elements such as batteries to build closed-loop system for energy conversion.